Telecommunications in New Zealand are fairly typical for an industrialised country.
Fixed-line broadband and telephone services are largely provided through copper-based networks, although fibre-based services are increasingly common. Spark New Zealand, Vodafone New Zealand, 2degrees and the Callplus group provide most services.
Mobile telephone services are provided by Spark, Vodafone and 2degrees, although a number of smaller mobile virtual network operators also exist.
Country calling code: 64
The same code is also used to reach Scott Base in Antarctica and the United States base McMurdo Station nearby.
Mobile phone system:
Number of mobile connections: 4.7 million (2010)
Coverage available to approx 97% of the population.
Operators:
2degrees (operating GSM, UMTS and LTE)
Virtual network operators: Warehouse Mobile (owned by The Warehouse Group)
Spark New Zealand (operating UMTS, HSDPA and LTE)Virtual network operators: Skinny (owned by Spark NZ), Digital Island, CallPlus/Slingshot, Compass
Vodafone New Zealand (operating GSM, UMTS, HSDPA and LTE)Virtual network operators: Black+White, Orcon, M2
Fixed-line telephone system:
Number of fixed line connections: 1.92 million (2000)
Individual lines available to 99% of residences.
Operators:
Chorus Limited
A large numbers of ISPs (referred to as "retail service providers") retail Chorus' connections to personal and business customers. Chorus does not retail internet connections.
Cable and microwave links:
Domestic:
optical fibre and microwave links between cities
submarine optical fibre cables between North Island and South Island.
International:
Submarine cables:
Southern Cross Cable (to Australia and Hawaii)
TASMAN 2 (Australia-New Zealand)
Tasman Global Access (proposed)
Moana Cable (proposed)
Hawaiki Cable (proposed)
Satellite earth stations: 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998), 4 on Freeview digital satellite.
See also: List of radio stations in New Zealand
Radios: 3.75 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650 low-power repeaters) (1997)
These transmit 4 nationwide free-to-air networks and a few regional or local single transmitter stations. Analogue was phased out between September 2012 and December 2013
Digital Satellite pay TV is also available and carries most terrestrial networks.
Freeview digital free satellite with a dozen SD channels, with SD feeds of the terrestrial HD freeview channels.
Freeview, free-to-air digital terrestrial HD and SD content.
Cable TV is available in some urban areas with Vodafone's broadband services.
See also: List of New Zealand television channels
Televisions: 1.926 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 36 (2000)
Internet users: 2.11 million (2002)
Fixed internet connections: 1.24 million (2013)
Country code (Top level domain): .nz
The government charges a $50 million Telecommunications Development Levy annually to fund improvements to communications infrastructure such as the Rural Broadband Initiative. It is payable by telecommunications firms with an operating revenue of over $10 million, in proportion to their qualified revenue.
